Osteospermum plant named ‘Fidostcopu’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Osteospermum  plant named ‘Fidostcopu’, characterized by its compact and mounding plant habit; freely branching growth habit; freely and early flowering habit; large daisy-type inflorescences with purple-colored ray florets; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Osteospermum ecklonis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FIDOSTCOPU’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Fidostcopu’.

The new Osteospermum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective of the program is to create and develop new compact Osteospermum plants that are freely branching and freely flowering and have attractive inflorescence coloration.

The new Osteospermum plant originated from a cross-pollination by the Inventor in May, 2004 of a proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number LO-31, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number E-019, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Osteospermum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Lier, The Netherlands in October, 2004.

Asexual reproduction of the new Osteospermum plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Lier, The Netherlands since November, 2004, has shown that the unique features of this new Osteospermum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Osteospermum have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Fidostcopu’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Fidostcopu’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum:

-   -   1. Compact and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit.     -   3. Freely and early flowering habit.     -   4. Large daisy-type inflorescences with purple-colored ray         florets.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Osteospermum differ from plants of the parent selections primarily in plant and growth habit as plants of the new Osteospermum are more compact in plant habit and more uniform in growth habit than plants of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Osteospermum can be compared to plants of the Osteospermum ‘Fidostpur’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,540. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Osteospermum differed primarily from plants of ‘Fidostpur’ in flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Osteospermum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Osteospermum plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Fidostcopu’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph, following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the spring and early summer in 10.5-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Lier, The Netherlands and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Osteospermum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 17° C. to 35° C. and night temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 25° C. Plants were pinched one time. Plants were 13 weeks old when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Osteospermum ecklonis ‘Fidostcopu’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number LO-31, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number E-019, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About six days at 22° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About one week at 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, summer.—About twelve days             at 22° C. to 30° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, winter.—About two weeks at             20° C. to 25° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; whitish grey             in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Compact and mounding plant habit;             relatively short internodes, dense and bushy growth habit;             moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 17 cm to 18 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 26 cm to 33 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Quantity per plant: Freely branching             habit, when pinched, about eight to ten primary lateral             branches develop per plant. Length: About 5 cm to 8 cm.             Diameter: About 4 mm to 5 mm. Internode length: About 1 cm             to 2 cm. Strength: Strong, sturdy. Texture: Sparsely             pubescent. Color: Close to 144C.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple;             sessile. Length: About 6 cm to 10 cm. Width: About 2 cm to             4 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin:             Lobed; serrate. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous.             Texture, lower surface: Sparsely pubescent. Venation             pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface:             Close to 137B. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to             146A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137B;             venation, close to 145C. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 146A; venation, close to 145B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescence form with elliptic to             slightly obovate-shaped ray florets; inflorescences             positioned beyond the foliage on moderately strong             peduncles; inflorescences terminal and axillary;             inflorescences face upright; ray and disc florets developing             acropetally on a capitulum.         -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering habit; about 25 to 35             inflorescences developing per plant.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering response.—In The Netherlands, plants of the new             Osteospermum flower continuously from spring to frost in the             autumn; early flowering habit, plants begin flowering about             eight weeks after planting.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—At temperatures of 14° C. to 20°             C., inflorescences last about 2.5 weeks on the plant;             inflorescences persistent.         -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About             1.2 cm. Shape: Globular to ovoid. Color: Close to 137A.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 6.5 cm to 7 cm. Depth             (height): About 8 mm. Disc diameter: About 9 mm. Receptacle             diameter: About 4 mm. Receptacle height: About 4 mm.             Receptacle color: Close to 146A.         -   Ray florets.—Length: About 3.5 cm to 3.8 cm. Width: About             8 mm. Shape: Elliptic to slightly obovate. Apex: Rounded to             slightly obtuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Number of ray florets per             inflorescence/arrangement: About 14 to 16 in a single whorl.             Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close             to N78A; color becoming closer to 83A with development. When             opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 79C.         -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular; apex dentate, five-pointed.             Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Number of disc             florets per inflorescence: About 50 to 55. Color, immature             and mature: Apex: Close to 79A. Mid-section: Close to 91B.             Base: Close to 79A.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 15 in a single             whorl. Length: About 1 cm to 1.2 cm. Width: About 1 mm to             3 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Truncate.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely             pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 146A. Color, lower             surface: Close to 138A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 9 cm to 13 cm. Diameter: About             1.5 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: Mostly upright.             Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Filament length: About 3 mm. Filament color: Close to             NN155D. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther length: About 2 mm.             Anther color: Close to N77A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen             color: Close to 15B. Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc             florets. Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted.             Stigma color: Close to N77A. Style length: About 4 mm. Style             color: Close to NN155D. Ovary color: Close to NN155D.         -   Seeds/fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Osteospermum. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have not     been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Osteospermums. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have been     observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind     and temperatures ranging from about 4° C. to about 35° C. 

1. A new and distinct Osteospermum plant named ‘Fidostcopu’ as illustrated and described. 